Explosive emulsions typically comprise a continuous organic phase and a discontinuous oxidizer phase containing water and an oxygen-supplying source such as ammonium nitrate, and an emulsifier. Examples of such explosive emulsions are disclosed, inter alia, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,708,753 and 5,920,031. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,753 the emulsifier is a salt derived from a hydrocarbyl-substituted carboxylic acid or anhydride, or ester or amide derivative of said acid or anhydride, the hydrocarbyl substituent having an average of from about 20 to about 500 carbon atoms, and an amine. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,920,031 the emulsifier is the product made by the reaction of component (A) with component (B). Component (A) is a substituted succinic acylating agent, said substituted succinic acylating agent consisting of substituent groups and succinic groups wherein the substituent groups are derived from a polyalkene, said acylating agents being characterized by the presence within their structure of an average of at least 1.3 succinic groups for each equivalent weight of substituent groups. Component (B) is ammonia and/or a mono-amine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,079 discloses an emulsion fertilizer comprising a discontinuous aqueous phase comprising at least one fertilizer component such as ammonium nitrate; a continuous oil phase; and an emulsifier. The emulsifier is the reaction product of a hydrocarbyl substituted succinic anhydride acylating agent and a tertiary alkanol amine.
A problem in the explosive emulsion and emulsion fertilizer arts relates to the fact that it is desirable to lower the viscosities of the emulsions in order to improve their pumping and handling characteristics. It is also desirable to make emulsions with relatively high aqueous phase to organic phase weight ratios. This is advantageous with explosive emulsions because it permits the delivery of more of the oxygen-supplying source with the same weight of emulsion. Similarly, this is advantageous with emulsion fertilizers because it permits the delivery of more of the fertilizer component with the same weight of emulsion. Unexpectedly, by use of the inventive reaction products as emulsifiers it is possible to formulate explosive emulsions and emulsion fertilizers having these characteristics. Going beyond explosive emulsions and emulsion fertilizers, the inventive reaction products are useful as emulsifiers in a wide variety of applications.
PCT publication WO96/25384 discloses monomeric, oligomeric and polymeric bisesters of alkyl- or alkenyldicarboxylic acid derivatives and polyalcohols, and their use as solubilizers, emulsifiers and/or detergents. The bisesters are described as being useful in formulating cosmetic compositions, detergents and cleaners, pharmaceutical compositions, foodstuffs and crop protection compositions. A process for preparing these bisesters is disclosed.